Basta Pasta Reviews

This is one of our daughter's favorite restaurants so she took us for dinner while we were visiting during the holiday weekend. Restaurant does not open until 6:00 p.m. and gets busy fast so call and reserve a table. The food was delicious (pasta with the cheese wheel is a favorite) and serving sizes just right. We will be back!

Amazingly good! We were passing so popped in for lunch. The kitchen is completely open so you can see everything that is being cooked. A great atmosphere inside. We ordered asparagus gratin and pumpkin gnocchi for starters, both amazing! For mains I had an amazing pasta dish (name escapes me) and for desert I had the tiramisu which was divine and the poached pear. All really delicious and washed down with a glass of rose. If I could, I would go again and will definitely recommend.

Awesome meal - with pasta served from large cheese wheel- great fun. But all appetizers were awesome as well. Great service.

My husband had been here a few times and always enjoyed the "Japanese" influence on the pasta dishes so on this trip we made a point of coming together. Their most popular dishes are the uni pasta and the pasta parmigiana tossed inside a half wheel of parmigiana. We ordered both dishes and they were delicious. I like nothing better then steaming, hot, fresh pasta and these came just like that. They are very rich though so I would share one or the other as a starter or share another lighter dish. My husband has also enjoyed the pasta with Shiso leaf and tobiko roe and says it is lighter. Our appetizers were also fantastic, he had the Special of seared mackerel with an anchovy vinaigrette and dilled potato salad and I had grilled calamari with a stuffed shisito pepper, was excellent. Had a poached peach and saffron gelato for dessert, was lovely, light and refreshing. Very good service. Also loved the bread basket, had some twisted cheese sticks that were yummy! $180 for 2 with 4 glasses of wine plus tip. Standard for NYC.

I was in Cancun a couple of years ago and a friend ordered "wheel pasta" (cooked spaghetti poured in to a huge wheel of parmesan cheese, creating a luscious sauce of creamy deliciousness). I found Basta Pasta (not sure why the listing has it as Pasta Basta - it's the other way around) in NYC when I returned because I wanted to experience it on my own. I've been a few times over the years and it's amazing - friends always rave when I take them there as well. It's a tiny place and is actually part of a restaurant group from Japan (there are a few locations around the world) - you'd never expect an italian restaurant to be run by japanese people (and wouldn't expect it to be nearly as good as it is)! You cannot go here without having the spaghetti done in the parmesan wheel - it's then sprinkled with fresh basil and topped with a few slices of the yummiest proscuitto ever. My mouth waters just thinking of it! I also had a salad that came with a piece of awesome crispy chicken - so good! It's a rather small place so you may need to get there early if you don't have a reservation. Prices are very reasonable considering where you are. Enjoy!

What a great place. Not only is the atmosphere very quaint and fun, but the food is amazing. There is nothing like having a giant cheese wheel carted to your table for fresh cheese to be grated from it for you.

Been eating here for over a decade, consistent quality - everything is freshly made in the open kitchen. Service is just ok though.

All I can say is, wow! What a great experience. We went one night after work and it was a great experience. Cool Open kitchen and GREAT fish dishes. If you like pasta and cheese, get the dish where they melt the pasta in wheel of cheese. Make a reservation and be ready to spend some $$!

Really enjoyed my experience here. Spaghetti served from a large Parmesan shell, taking the flavour of the cheese...gorgeous. The service was prompt, and staff were pleasant. We were a party of six people, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our food, would return.

We arrived shortly before our 8 p.m. reservation on Dec. 23 and were seated within 5 minutes. Our server was very pleasant and efficient. Even though it was a busy place, we did not find the noise level any different from a popular restaurant with a high clientele turnover.The breadsticks were obviously freshly baked, the caesar salad we shared was imaginatively presented and again, fresh and tasty. We could see meals being prepared from scratch in the open kitchens. Everyone takes pride in what they do here. Both the angel hair pasta and ravioli for the veal dish were perfectly cooked. Prices for entrees here are extremely reasonable. I've paid three times as much for a comparable seafood dish in Madison NJ! Looking forward to trying the dish for which they mix your pasta in a half-wheel of Parmesan cheese at the table, then add prosciutto! When you choose your one restaurant experience during your visit to the city, you want it to be exactly like this one!

I have been to Basta Pasta over 20 years ago and I rememberd this restaurant fondly. Fast forward three years ago, my nephew told me about this nice, reasonably priced restaurant on 17th street and it turned out to be my go-to restaurant now whenever I want a good meal with my daughter or friends. The place is just as good, if not better. One thing though, try and make reservation ahead of time, they are always packed!

The food wasn't crazy good. I had the Caesar salad n it had to much dressing. Then had this 3type mushroom dish n it was ehh then came the main dish. This pasta that look like lasagna sheets with mushrooms. And then I had desert..... this ice cream in a crepe. After dinner I came straight home and have gone to the bathroom 7x already with diarrhea and have thrown up 3x. I've never felt this sick from eating something. Never again am I stepping foot in that place.

This a a casual restaurant I don't see the Japanese influence. Amazing homemade pasta and the pasta made in the parm wheel of cheese was to die for! Definitely worth the visit! Service was excellent and friendly!

Really diverse menu, really interesting choices. Loved the food, absolutely delicious. So much to choose from. Service was ok.

I’ll start by saying that as we walked in, Suzanne Sarandon walked out :-) We didn't have a reservation (Thursday at 8pm) but we only had to wait for 10 minutes. The bread they give for free was very good and also the meals we ordered. We also got red and white wines in glasses and they were very good as well. The prices are completely reasonable for these dishes and we had a great experience going there. The service was fast and friendly so I'd definitely go back there.

Japanese inspired Italian food. What a surprise. Food was outstanding and service was great. Try the pasta made table side in a cheese wheel. Get there early and or make reservations. A gem of a spot in the Union Square area. Will definitely go back. Highly recommend!

Me and my husband come here every year for our anniversary. It is absolutely worth the trip to NYC. We always get the duck appetizer. It is very tasty. I get the spaghetti with parmesan and prosciutto every time we go. They pour hot spaghetti into a half wheel of parmiaggiano regiano cheese and then scoop out the melted cheese to make the sauce. Then they put fresh prosciutto on top. It is one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. This place is a must go!

Tight and overcrowded. Two doors one closed, like a fire trap. Good illumination and clean. Appetizers nicely prepared, good taste. Small portions with lot of arugula ... Pasta well prepared, little bit watery, average. Desserts, small portions, average. Prices are high $$ to $$$ per person

Came for lunch with my wife,2 kids and my cousin. We all had the 3 course lunch deal,apart from my son. For $21 ,it's a fantastic deal. 7 different pastas to choose from the fix price menu,I went for the Spaghetti with eggplant,basil,tomatoes and tapanede-delicious. Service was good,waiter was very accomodating,as we ordered off menu for my son. One of our favourite restaurants in Manhattan

Big pleasant hall with open kitchen. For free appetizers toasts with mix cheeses , very tasty. The asparagus coated with cheese wAs strange and bizarre also the trout carpaccio was very poor. Main dishes papardela pasta a la Mediterranean style and Some fruit of mere. Very mediocre Staff are warm and nice. By all nice place reasonably prices. Food looks better at the plate.....

We ate here this evening. I came a couple of years ago and seem to remember a slightly larger choice on the menu. The food was very tasty and prepared at the table. Really friendly service and a good atmosphere.

Missed out on the uni pasta as it was sold out by the time we got there. Enjoyed the four cheese pasta and tobiko and shiso spaghetti; not the seafood pasta which was slightly bland.

We have been coming to this restaurant for the last 20 years. Food is consistently excellent. During this recent visit, the menu has been pared down ( probably due to Covid) but still has our favorite pasta cooked in a half wheel of Parmesan cheese. Served with prosciutto and basil. It’s so good. The Caesar salad was even better than before. My fish was grilled to perfection and that’s a lot for me to say since I am not a fish person. It also has the best Bellini, made with fresh peach purée.

Very interesting concept of the mixture of the Oriental staff and the pasta based food. I recommend the food and the reasonable prices.

This place is cool and hip, so make sure you make a reservation. We made one and still had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. Place is too good (asian and Italian fusion). The place has cool artwork and an open kitchen. The food is too good not to have.!

We went there with two little kids. It was pretty nice and comfortable there with little ones. The entries were very yummy and interesting. Service was good. we loved to eat there.

We went on a Monday evening and the restaurant was packed. The service was great and we loved the happened twist on Italian food. The dishes were all very good, each wth their own unique twist. I would definitely return.

This was recommended and by locals which may say more about the locals than the cuisine. You know you're in trouble when you enter the restaurant and the staff appear to be all Japanese. Nothing against the Japanese but I would be equally concerned if I went for sushi and it was run by Italians. Its kind of Italian but not as I know it. My cotoletta di vitello alla milanese looked as though the meat had been reconstituted and was wafer thin. The menu to be fair was varied and not the usual stuff you'd see in an Italian but then sometimes the favourites are favourites for a reason. The wine list on the other hand is another matter. superb.

Our friend took us to her favorite local restaurant, Basta Pasta, and we really enjoyed it. The most interesting and tasty dish was pasta served from a large wheel of parmesan cheese.

Last week on Tuesday, January 23rd, I came home for my 25th birthday and ate here at Basta Pasta with my boyfriend and a few friends. It was delicious! But their food is always delicious though. My Mom and I have been going to this restaurant for ages. I always get the Spaghetti Con Prosciutto E Parmigiano, where they dish out the pasta onto the plate from a big wheel of parmigiano cheese at your table. It's amazing! It's 20 dollars. The prices are pretty decent. I highly recommend going to this restaurant! I repeat, it's delicious!

This restaurant is one of the best I have ever been to and that is saying something ,as being a critical foodie I can be very hard to please.The food and wine choices are exceptional with all the dishes and wine chosen in our group of 4 being equally simple and sophisticated at the same time .It has a great buzz .Definitely worth going to and very reasonably priced .

Had the sea urchin pasta for mains and mussels for starters. Both were heavenly. Love the open kitchen concept and Japanese hospitality. Great fusion plates - be prepared to wait if you have no reservations!

I have been eating at Basta Pasta for over 10 years and I’ve never had such a bad experience there. The food and our waitress, a Japanese lady (unfortunately, I do not recall her name) was good as usual, however their second waiter, Shiraz (or assistant waiter, whatever you may call this person), was atrocious. I’m not going to go into detail with the food, because food here is good. So I will go into detail with the experience that we went through. We ordered one of their signature dishes, Spaghetti with Parmigiano Reggiano & Parma Prosciutto. They always finish this dish up at the table in a half wheel of Parmesan cheese at the table and serving it. Unfortunate for us, Shiraz was serving this dish, and without telling us, he made it and served it to us. Although, this was disappointing, I was not upset at all about it. I understand it’s busy and/or you may not want to disrupt a conversation that maybe happening. However, after one of us asked if we could take a picture, Shiraz responded unkindly, “order another one.” I spoke to our waitress about the issue and she apologized, however, after Shiraz walked by and we informed him in a friendly tone of our disappointment, he just said, “well, why are you smiling about it?” and walked away. This, in turn, aggravated me extremely, and I again spoke to our Japanese waitress. In the middle of speaking to her, Shiraz rudely interrupted us and demanded what the issue was. He has at least three chances to apologize yet did not take that initiative to do that. Throughout this whole ordeal, a manager would not come to de-escalate the situation, only to try to remedy the situation by providing us with a measly desert afterwards. I am highly disappointed with the service, especially, coming from a Japanese establishment. Unfortunately, this will certainly be the last time I will be coming back or recommending anyone to this restaurant. The multiple rude and unprofessionalism responses from the one waiter and the lack of response from management is the reason why I am even providing one star to this establishment.

20 years and going strong! Pasta Basta has been our regular hang out for great Italian food, pleasant and efficient service, and art that changes regularly! We just love the place. You must try the spaghetti dug out from a 1/2 Parmesan wheel! or (although not on the menu) the spaghetti with squid ink! a delice! for desert, go for the Volcano or the Tiramisu.

Loved the Uni pasta. Enjoyed the tableside presentation of the pasta finished in the massive half round of parmesan.

Cool atmosphere, young, professional crowd, a great place. Each time I walked by it was full or nearly full. I stayed across the street at Chelsea Inn and it was very convenient. I'll have dinner here next time. Very nice.

My brother and i went here after hearing about it a couple yrs ago. I knew it would be a place i would want to go to when i made it to NYC. I finally made it and it was worth the wait. Friendly staff, prompt service and amazing food. Great experience. Thank you

We have dined at Basta Pasta on dozens of occasions, as it was around the corner from my wife's office. The food never disappoints (spaghetti with prosciutto and parm served from the parm wheel is a signature dish), although occasionally the concept is a bit flawed (I recently had a grilled pork loin served with spring peas, asparagus and okra.) The okra was not even blanched, and was rather tough. On recent visits, we have been less-than-impressed with the service: inattentive and sloppy (dead flowers in vase on table, server did not bring wine list or bread). Still, a quirky favorite best enjoyed when the restaurant is not packed.

This place was an Italian Japanese fusion restaurant. We had an early reservation and were in and out in an hour. We didn't feel rushed at all, just the food was really prompt and very good. try the pasta that is prepared table side in a bowl of cheese. The portion is small and the taste is great. I would give this 4 stars only because the tables were so close together it was hard to move.

From the warm welcome when you arrive until it is time to leave,this place is perfection. I was there on Wednesday,March 2. I called a week before to make sure that I got a good table- often a table for one is either by the kitchen or the bathroom. I lucked out-a great table in the middle of the room. I had been there before and knew what I would be having: my appetizer was funghi misti-3 kinds of mushrooms baked with rosemary and thyme with olive oil in a parchment bag,which is cut open at the table. A simple appetizer,but one of the best I have ever eaten, The main course-again,simple,but absolutely delicious. A cart is wheeled to your table-on it is a half wheel of parmaesan cheese. In the cavity of the cheese is piping hot pasta. The server"whooshes" the pasta around and that makes the sauce. On top the server places procutto and fresh chives. I didn't leave one single bite on my plate! The service is efficient and attentive but not hovering. The wine list is extensive with several selections by the glass at a price that is reasonable. Unfortunately,after such a great meal,no room left for dessert. Forgot to mention:there is an impressive list of exotic pre-dinner drinks that seems to change every day. There is absolutely nothing that I could think of to make this place better. Perfection!!

We go here regularly for the pasta served from Parmesan wheel with prosciutto. Awesome. Simple family restaurant always packed full. Reserve in advance.

We started at the bar while waiting for friends. An interesting array of cocktails available as well as a fresh squeezed grapefruit juice non-alcoholic concoction. The restaurant is small with an open kitchen, clean and bright. Food was fresh, service good. A nice choice for a quiet meal.

We had dinner at BASTA PASTA with my nephews. The place is nothing special atmosphere and ambiance wise. The food is good, my nephew and I ordered the Spaghetti with Prosciutto and Parmigiano which is finished table side on a parmesan cheese, it was delicious and fun to watch. My husband had Linguine a la Pescatore and my sister-in-law had the spaghetti with sea urchin. They said both dishes were good but regretted not choosing the spaghetti with prosciutto and parmesan. The desserts were good too, we had the chocolate lava cake and the parmesan cheese cake, it had an unusual flavor, it was good, different. Compliments to the restaurant for holding our table 30 minutes past our reservation! We called as we were stuccoed in traffic and they said it was no problem (on a Thursday night). We really appreciate it. The service was correct.

アメリカらしいレストラン。広いホールに安っぽいテーブルと机。全体的に白っぽい壁。その壁にはモノクロのニューヨークリトルイタリーの写真。ランチはプリフィックスの２０ドル（2018/7時点）。東京がオシャレすぎるのか。満腹感満載の量に驚きながら一人２８ドル払って席を立ちました。ニューヨークの昼飯ってこんなものかなぁ。 Typical downtown American style Italian restaurant. Good size hall with casual tables and chairs. On the wall, many photos of old New York City. For lunch, just 20$ with starter and past with coffee and sweets (2018/7). Satisfied with them but no surprise and no satisfaction. This is typical New Yorkers’ lunch without spending lots of time.

Definitely my favorite restaurant in this city. It's held the #1 spot for a really long time due to everything being -so- incredibly fresh.

I get to New York once a year. A while back I discovered Basta Pasta and last year wrote a review that I called Perfection. It was. Then. What a difference a year makes! Don't get me wrong -the food is still very good. Its the front of house that dropped the ball. I usually order the same things-for an appetizer Funghi Misti. This is 3 kinds of mushrooms baked in thyme,olive oil and butter-in a parchment bag. It is a simple dish,but is one of the best appetizers I have eaten. My usual main course is parmesan pasta. Piping hot spaghetti is brought to the table on a cart with a half wheel of parmesan. The pasta is put in a cavity in the cheese and whooshed around.This makes the sauce. Add panchetta,fresh chives and voila! Again-simple but delicious. The problems:Where is the lovely Asian lady,whose warm smile made you feel truly welcome in her restaurant? After bread had been brought to my table, why did I have to wait 5 minutes and then ASK for some oil to go with it? Why was it such a long time that my wine glass sat empty before I was offered a refill? Will I go back? Yes. The food is that good. Look-I get it the restaurant was busy. Come on,you guys,I know that you can do better! AG

Not knowing what to expect, I walked into this restaurant and went away totally impressed, happy and satisfied. The pasta with parmasan, prepared at the table side, was to die for. The other dishes were very good also. I went back for a second time, and my godson was knocked over! Pricy? Uh, it was totally worth it, supported by the nice friendly service. I liked the decor -- very simply, nothing over the top busy. Highly recommended. You will not regret it at all!

I went here with friends for a birthday dinner, after a fun filled afternoon we were all very hungry. This is a great restaurant the staff is very attentive, especially because we had a big party of 8 people. The staff took their time to make sure we knew what specials they had and took our orders for appetizers and drinks. Before the appetizers came out we had bread and pretzel sticks with butter, it was very warm bread so it tasted so good. Then our appetizers came out and they were very good, we ordered the calamari and i must say it was one of the best i ever had. The staff at Pasta Pasta have very good timing, they refilled glasses periodically and always checked to see if we needed anything else. When we all got our meals, they were very big portions, big enough to share and have left overs for the next day. It was a very great experience and great food.

Very unique Japanese style Italian restaurant. The food was very nice and we tried a variety of pasta including the house special Spaghetti con Prosciutto e Parmigiano. Overall excellent and good value for money.

This was my first time here and I was so glad my friend and I came! FOOD: I ordered the Sea Urchin pasta - so, sooo good. The pasta was cooked perfectly and it was the perfect balance between the sea urchin, the light tomato sauce and basil. Would totally have it again. My friend had the pasta they serve out of the cheese wheel - I'm not a huge fan of cheese, but she raved about it. It's the perfect mix of prosciutto and cheese. For our appetizer, we tried the calamri and risotto sausage dish - the calamari was very tender and great with the grilled sushito peppers... the risotto sausage had an interesting curry taste to it - didn't really care for it. For dessert - the white peach sorbet was the perfect palate cleanser! so refreshing and so good. Also tried the parmesean reggiano cheesecake - not as cheesy as I thought and more of a cake texture. Service - was super attentive and always came to check in on us! Ambiance - awesome - super cozy, warm and welcoming. I loved the open kitchen concept!

Great place! Parmesan pasta is amazing. Just don't like the chairs. Just be careful trying to reserve on opentable b/c it's the wrong place. They only do phone reservations

Italian food with Japanese service and some Japanese ingredients. Food was delicious and service was attentive. Appreciated the clean and efficient open kitchen. Expect a long and uncomfortable wait, though, if you come without reservations.

The place is not that big, so you should definitely make a reservation. The place does get a little loud, so don't plan on having an intimate conversation either. The food was incredible though! There were 3 of us and we decided to start with 3 appetizers: Tortino Di Granchio, Tonno Fresco Scottato, and Gnocci Di Zucca (all were AMAZING!), and then we split the one signature pasta dish: Spaghetti Con Prosciutto E Parmigiano - they serve the spaghetti out of a wheel of cheese! If you are a cheese lover, you will absolutely LOVE this dish! After our appetizers and pasta dish, we were actually full and couldn't order any more! I will be visiting again!

Much more Italian than Japanese. Started with one of the few Japanese items, Tonno Fresco Scottato prime tuna tataki, original wasabi tartar sauce, cucumber, fingerling potatoes, hearts of palm, saffron orange sauce, which was very good. Shared a Spaghetti Con Mozzarella, Pomodori E Funghi spaghetti, shiitake mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, basil, fresh tomato sauce which was also very good. I like that you can order pasta either as an appetizer or entrée. For entrees, we had the Lombata Di Maiale charcoal-grilled duroc pork chop, zucchini, shishitou peppers, broccoli, asparagus, garlic infused sour cream, The pork was tender and juicy. I don't get the sour cream. My wife had the Petto Di Pollo Impanato herb panko-crusted organic chicken breast, endive, porcini mushroom chips, truffle oil, lemon parmesan sauce, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Fore dessert, we had the Tiramisu basta pasta's original tiramisu and Vulcano melting chocolate inside warm cocoa sponge cake, with vanilla gelato, fresh fruit. With wine and tip, the bill for 2 was $200.00. Very good but I feel pricey.

Not quite knowing what to expect, I walked in with my brother and experienced some of the best food in the city. Service was excellent -- friendly and personal. The food was outstanding. By the time we ate the pasta with prosciutto and parmagiano, we knew we were in the midst of a different league of gastronomical adventure. Seating is a bit on the tight side, and one should really go early (evening business starts at 6:00 p.m.) You would think a mixture of Japanese and Italian either simply won't work or at best feels like a pretentious fusion. Alas, it works so well here -- hearty and solid Italian food with the Japanese delicate touch. Class act!!

We loved this little Italian Eatery. We were recommended this place by a friend and it definitely didn't disappoint. We were seated immediately and drink orders were taken quickly. The offered us some bread and infused olive oil. The bread was very fresh and the olive oil was incredible with a little cracked pepper. Three of four ordered the bowl of deliciousness (we have renamed it) SPAGHETTI CON PROSCIUTTO E PARMIGIANO is the actual name. It was flavorful but not too rich. The noddles were served all dente and creamy. The veal ravioli was also ordered and tried. It was delightful as well and the raviolis were perfectly cooked and pressed. We truly enjoyed the service and overall experience at Basta Pasta. I would recommend it to couples or families. Just make a reservation.

We were told about this place from a friend, and it turned out to to be a great place, we hope to come again. The fun dish seems to be the Prosciutto parmesan pasta made in a huge cheese wheel, lots of cheese and a blast, but all our food was very good. Get reservation early as it seems to fill up fast.

Trying to be Italian but not sure it works...... Felt like a cafeteria more than a dinning feel Food was average even though the show seem interesting Do not receomend if you want authentic Italian cuisine

The food was ok-ish, but a weird experience. Decor is grim, service nonchalant as in nobody seemed to care much. Paper table "cloths" - really?

Recently had lunch here with a few girlfriends. We hadn't seen each other in over a year. Had the lunch special for $25 which included salad and a choice of 4 or 5 pasta choices. Also included coffee and desert. Very good value for a delicious meal. Restaurant was very busy for lunch. Glad we had a reservation.

Japanese inspired Italian food...great combination. Small charming restaurant in the Chelsea district. Lots of fun. Better for lunch.

Basta pasta offers an interesting twist on a traditional pasta restaurant. Fun atmosphere along with mainstream pasta dishes and some unique ones given that the origin of this concept is from Japan. It has a fun ambience and very popular with a younger crowd.

Invigorating, mainly youth clientele. Food is good but not exceptional. Prices reflect that and the service is also good. Tuna appetizer was exceptionally good. The octopus appetizer was dry.overall a good experience. Suresh Chawla Toronto, Canada.

We love this restaurant. We have eaten here many times and the food is always excellent. The staff is always courteous and professional, the ambiance is causal chic and every detail is a pleasure to discover. Basta Pasta serves Italian food with some dishes featuring Asian undertones. Others dishes are very Italian and all are executed perfectly, pasta is cooked al dente and the sauces are flavorful without overpowering the dish. This time around we had (once again) their spaghetti with Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma prosciutto. The server brings a half Parmigiano wheel to the table and they "dress" the pasta inside the wheel, delivering a creamy concoction dotted with soft bites of Parmigiano and topped with Parma ham that softens with the heat of the pasta, delicious. We also ordered a sea bass ragù homemade tagliolini entrée that was outstanding. We started with a mixed salad (huge portion) and a couple of appetizers, seared tuna and grilled fish over zucchini. Both dishes were flavorful, bright and delightful. We had some wine by the glass, a super Tuscan and a sauvignon from Piedmont, both lovely. The prices are reasonable for the quality of food. Three appetizers, two pasta entrées and three glasses of wine came to be about $100.00. My photos do not do justice to the food.

Me and my daughter go to NYC ever December and this is the one restaurant we go to every time. They have by far the best past

We eat here with friends, it has italian dishes made in a japan way, or with japan sushi. Sone dishes were good (like "spaghetti con uova di pesce") but portions were small (especially for the appetizer), taste for good but not excellent and prices are not cheap: $50 each for one appetizer, one dish, 1 bottle of wine and water. Atmosphere is pretty good, and waiters were very nice. But there are best and cheaper restaurant to est in NYC. Anyway, if you want to gi it's better to reserve..

Food was divine, one of the best Italian food I have ever had, including Italian restaurants in Italy. Do make a reservation as it gets packed in the evenings, if you have to wait, do it, it's worth it.

We had the pasta tableside - what a fun experience and such a delicious meal. We also ordered a bottle of wine and an appetizer to share. Everything was made perfectly. The restaurant is a bit more casual than I expected. The chairs are older and not typically seen in a restaurant but all good.

This restaurant serves an excellent selection of Italian dishes, but cooked with a certain East Asian flair by the Japanese cooking staff. An interesting concept, well executed. Casual but entertainingly New York ambience.

The pasta are great made and the texture is amazing. i tried the Uni pasta, once again, pasta is great, but the sauce and combination taste isn't as amazing as those i tried elsewhere. The chicken is very well made.

Just returned from dinner and we were so impressed. Love the open concept of the restaurant with the exposed kitchen. We shared 2 appetizer and 2 entrees. The pasta dishes were cooked to perfection. Dessert was delicious, we tried the Tiramisu and it was by far the best we have ever tasted. We cannot wait for a reason to return and try more of the menu!

Open space to watch the magic of chefs manipulations, the walls are decorated with Mayuko Okada paintings made of old kimonos. It is a very good match of quality and value. They are open at lunch time and offer dinner till 11p.m.

I went to eat at Pasta Basta with my boyfriend and we had a wonderful experience. First the bread they brought to the table was very good, than we had the mozzarella salad which was divine! i had the Crespelle Con Funghi E Ricotta and my bf took the Fettuccine Alla Bolognese - both pastas were very well cooked and delicious. Highly recommended.

A good restaurant in NYC is not hard to find -- a good restaurant that is also unique, however, is hard to find ... but look no further than Pasta Basta. Here they meld Italian and Japanese cuisine in a most unusual and successful way. Perhaps the best indication that the odd combination is a success is that there were so many interesting and good sounding items on the menu that we will definitely be returning just to see what the dishes taste like. By NYC standards the prices are reasonable -- the service was friendly and attentive as well. Reservations are needed as this place is apparently on the tourist radar screen.

I found Basta Pasta quite by accident, looking for a place relatively close to the Irish Rep. This popped up on Menupages! Italian food with Japanese decor and sensibilties. Zen, clean, good for a group, GREAT attentive service. You won't be dissapointed.

We were taken to BP by some friends. A great place with a pretty cool atmosphere without trying to be hip. A great asian influenced Italian menu with something for everybody. The food is tasty, fresh and nicely prepared. The cheese pasta prepared in a wheel of parmigiano, very cool. Desserts are also good and so is service. A great find!

The menu is out of the ordinary and to me seems more Italian than Asian but I think the idea is a fusion. There were many appealing and interesting choices. The kitchen is open right in the dining area. I had an mushroom appetizer that was simmered in a kind of parchment paper. It was outstanding. Maybe the best treatment for mushrooms I've eaten. For the entree I had a strip steak which was undercooked for my definition of medium rare and not that interesting but fine overall. My colleagues had the Parmesan and prosciutto spaghetti which is prepared at the table. They had been here before and ordered it again, proclaiming its wonderfulness! It looked good. It reminded me of a dish I made called Garlic Spaghetti. Simple but tasty. Overall this was a nice experience

Best pasta. Great fish. Excellent service, although you have to ask for salt, pepper, grated cheese. They offer the full sized ($18) pasta dishes in an 'appetizer' size, but the price ($14) is not cut in half. Better to order the full size and take some home. Next time, we have to try their tiramisu, which looked awesome. The place was packed, so make a Rez. The walls are a spartan white; some decorations in the back would be a nice touch.

Just discovered this light, airy Italian restaurant off Union Square between 5th and 6th. Open kitchen, friendly staff and some really good mid-priced Italian choices. Lunch can be busy but not loud (make a reservation to be sure).

Ate there last night and it was a pleasant surprise. Not sure what I expected about an Italian Asian fusion restaurant but I would highly recommend it for the food & wine. My only negative comment is the noise level-very high. We got there at 6 and all of us ordered different entrees and shared, each was very good. The pasta in the wheel is definitely where someone should start!

This is a low key Manhattan restaurant that doesn't have a conceited 25 year old at the front door, nor is the wait staff a bunch of wanna - be actors. The excellent pasta is served in a unique half round wheel of cheese, and the wine is reasonably priced.

Casual Italian dining at its best with menu offering many choices from antipasta to desserts. Uni pasta simply best, lots of uni. On Sunday night, place was packed of families with kids, turning tables over within an hour. Genuine Italian with a touch of Nippon. What more to say😁

Our friends in Manhattan suggested this restaurant near where they live. It is a lively place run by and staffed by Japanese people with mostly Italian cuisine. Everything is made with very fresh ingredients. We had the spaghetti con prosciutto e parmigiano for an appetizer. They serve it from the middle of half of a wheel of parmesan cheese (very delicious). We also had some excellent asparagus. The main course and desserts were also excellent. I would go back here again.

Food and service was amazing. Sat at the bar & was blown away with all aspects of the dinning experience. Highly recommend.

have been on my must eat list whenever I am in NYC. it serves the best pasta in NYC. reservations are required.

My wife and I enjoyed a great evening dining at Basta Pasta, you must order the "spaghetti con prosciutto e parmigiano" and/or the Bistecca. Just Amazing!!!!! for dessert- The Vulcano. The service was "ok".

Just visited Basta Pasta on W. 17th St. last night. Since we have not been here in a few years, we were not sure what to expect. Mr. Suzuki has always been an excellent host to every single dinner even when the place gets super busy. There is careful attention to detail and service is fantastic. We were a party of 5, with 4 out of towners who tend to be "foodies". FIrst, the dinning room is always filled with young people fashionable (20s and 30s) and there were a few who were older and not so trendy but all were equally enjoying their dinner. The food is prepared w/ creative but exceptional technique! I particularly recommend the Wild Mushroom Medley appetizer that is prepared in a parchment pocket.We always share the pasta that is served from the huge Parmesan wheel w/ basil and prosciutto. The grilled fish (Branzino) was again prepared simply but just right. In the past the potato gratin was too salty but this time it was perfect. We had 3 pasta dishes, lamb shops, salmon and grilled fish of the day along w/ fresh veggies, salads and an assortment of desserts. The only disappointment was the portion sizes. The lamb was only 2 very small pieces of lamb chops. The 26.00 plate had 2 tiny pieces of lamb chops and 2 small pieces of potato gratin. That's all that was on the plate! For the desserts we ordered the Almond Flan, our absolute favorite!, vulcano, pear compote, tira missu, and chocolate cake. Everything was delicious. May I add one more comment, the Almond Flan is just put on a blank plate. Adding 1 peice of color to a white-ish lump would be a nice touch. Ambience. I would like the owners to consider sound proofing. Often the noise level got too high. It became hard to hear a little but there were enough times it got quiet to have a conversation. The atmosphere is fun, light and the service is excellent. I would recommend this place for entertaining guests, out-of-towners and business clients. Both lunch and dinner provide a wide variety of dishes all very well prepared and served.

yummy food interesting atmosphere some cooking is done right in the middle of the restaurant funky place

Trip advisor has the name wrong...but nothing else is wrong with this restaurant! It's a neighborhood place that the locals go to...so it must be good. The staff was perfect. The atmosphere was cozy, but vibrant. Oh, and the food was to die for! The Insalata di Cesare was wonderful...ask for them to chop it for you. The Crespelle Con Funghi E Ricotta was like the menu stated, silky. Melt in your mouth wonderful. The Trancio Di Salmone, grilled salmon, was pretty darn good too. Don't miss this place when visiting NYC.

Japanese and Italian do not mix! The food was flavorless, and watery. Not at all Italian. Terrible menu. Portions were too small. Would never go back!

We still love this restaurant on our second visit. Wonderful Japanese inspired Italian pasta dishes. Started with the calamari squid appetizer, squid was really great, but not a fan of the sausage, which was tasteless and bland. The spaghetti was al dente, and the Asian taste of the fish roe was unique and tasty. The spaghetti mozzarella and funghi was just delicious. The mozzarella was home made, and the funghi and gravy was light and full bodied. The best dish this night, was the seared duck breast. The duck was tender and pink, definitely sous vide and expertly seared. However, because of the sous vide, this dish required 40 minutes to prepare. Worth the visit. Crowded. One needs a reservation. Hip young crowd. Service was excellent and attentive.

Make reservations, it is busy especially on weekends. There is one dish that is amazing they take freshly cooked spaghetti and drop it into a half a cheese wheel to make a fettuccine alfredo dish. This is a I Italian restaurant with a Japanese twist. Just Amazing great Italian wines and peroni beer.

As we find with most great New York restaurants, they are just little holes in the wall that pack an explosion of goodness in the food they serve. This restaurant is known to be an Italian/Asian fusion. If that scares you - don't let it. The Asian influence is very subtle and just adds to delicious Italian dishes - like the inclusion of uni or sea urchin - or tobiko. This place is also known for tossing some of its pasta dishes in a half wheel of fresh (can you call cheese fresh?) Parmesan. The hot noodles go into the Parmesan wheel and get enveloped in the creaminess - delicious. We had two different appetizers and four different entrees and tasted from each other's plate - everything was excellent.

Now here is a happening place. How do they do so many different things with pasta? Great style and atmosphere, servers that only add to the experience, combined with great food Add it to the list of the top venues in New York just for the size of the cheese wheels!

Just came from Basta Pasta. The food is good and innovative. Pasta is indeed part of the menu, which is kind of Asian-Italian fusion. The outcome is very good. I had Angus on eggplant and my wife had a good fish. Problem of the place is it's design concept: since it is a narrow space you enter through the bar, wait to be seated in the kitchen- yes inside the kitchen, and only then go to your table. The kitchen is open and you are one meter from the cooks. A good and happy option to see them in work. Problem is "if you can't stand the heat..." but all the place it's hot. More than I like to stand. We skipped the dessert, which we wanted since watching it being made when we waited, but I couldn't take it any more.

A delightful find,recommended by friends who live in the area. Atmosphere is clean, open kitchen, friendly knowledgeable staff who knows the ingredients in the dishes.The dishes are light, with the freshest ingredients. We had the shrimp pasta in garlic, olive oil with cilentro, shallots, peppers. The other pasta dish penne vodka with mushrooms and prosuitto. This is a small restaurant and reservation is a must. They also offer prix fixe, a fantastic value for high quality food!

I feel this place is a bit overrated. First of all, the tables are too close to each other. It was hard to get in and out where we sat as my chair was very very close to the table next to ours. Our appetizers had good presentations. Mains were just ok. One of the pastas we ordered was watery.

Have been here twice and it appears that people are always happy leaving. The ingredients are super fresh and the service is quick and responsive. Try the Pre Fixe lunch for three courses. The panko sauteed chicken was really good, the spaghetti is awesome and fresh. Can't lose here.

This place was recommended by a friend who lives in the city. Great spot - authentic Italian food done by Japanese. The spaghetti served in the parmasean wheel is there signature dish. Great food and fairly reasonable (for NYC) and on a late Monday night it was super busy.

We have been to this restaurant several times, and it has always delivered: imaginative, super fresh, we’ll executed food that’s consistent, delivered with pleasant, professional service in a buzzingly enjoyable and conforting environment. It has been our go-to restaurant whenever we want to make sure we’ll have a great restaurant experience, and will continue to be so! 👍😍

This was highly recommended to us by a friend. Wish we could have our money back. Service less than mediocre. Food unimpressive

As someone who cooks, wanted to see the presentation of the simple spaghetti, prosciutto, parmesan pasta served in a wheel of parmagianno-regiiano cheese. Ask to add fresh cherry tomatoes. Really good food from an Asian chef!

i first visited Basta Pasta nearly 10 years ago..I am happy to say my latest experience was just a pleasing as the first. the good and honest food and service make the dining experience a good one.. i like dining in a place with an open style kitchen. the wine list is good and we were very happy with the sommeliers recommendation

Great service, delicious food and pretty good wines. It deserves every star it gets. Here are my five stars!

Came here for dinner on a Thursday night, was super busy and the place is small with a very crowded feeling. We were a party of two and felt squeezed into a space with people on literally all sides of us. Maybe because there was a large group seated next to us which clearly required other tables to make accommodations. Anyways we ordered the caprese appie which we shared. Pretty small but it's an appie, what do you expect. I had the uni linguine while my companion had the famous parmesan wheel pasta. My linguine was a little too chewy for me and didn't have that much uni in it. Also I felt like the uni got lost in the sauce a little, like its flavor didn't stand out like it could have. I tried the parmesan pasta which was good, and definitely made me regret my order. Always get what restaurants are famous for! Anyways I wouldn't return.

What a great restaurant! I am a bit hesitant to write a great review, for I do not want this wonderful restaurant to become over crowded. I want this to remain a secret. I found the food to be wonderfully crisp, clean, and simple. The prix fixe lunch was a great $20 bargain. The minestrone soup was a delicious clear broth base with crunchy vegetables. I loved the orchiette with sausage. It had the correct amount of heat from the chili, but not overwhelmed by the heat. The dessert was a nice way to top off the lunch. I am somewhat surprised by the mixed reviews. I certainly love this restaurant. Don't let out this secret.

This restaurant is very unique from the setting of the dinning room ( kitchen in the actual dinning area), to the menu to the decor. The place is packed and tables are very close to each other. However, the food is of freshest ingredients and has some very unusual items on the menu. Be sure to try the spaghetti served in a 1/2 wheel of Parmesan cheese, we did! Highly recommend this place for a great dinning experience!

Seven of us from age 10 to 74 had a rollicking good time. We shared three of the amazing pastas dipped in the Parmesan wheel...wow! The insalata mista was as fresh and flavorful as could be. All entrees were enjoyed. And the desserts were a hit, yummy and delicate tiramisu. We thought the service was superb, very unobtrusive. Great wine too.

This is my second visit to Basta Pasta. The food is absolutely amazing. The place is always packed out. However, the service is lacking. Overall moral of servers is low and you will need to beg for refills. Be aware they charge for all refills...you will find that out when you get the bill. I would recommend this place to a friend, just know going the service will be lacking.

We ate here on a whim on our honeymoon. Another couple from NYC had just eaten here and told us to get the pasta served out of a cheese wheel so we did .. it was so yummy and different to be served literally out of a huge cheese wheel. Our server was very friendly and the food was decently priced especially for NYC. I definitely recommend this for a unique dining experience!

Nice Italian kitchen run and served by totally Japanese staff. I did not notice any Japanese food, but they have some other European meals like Vienner schnitzel. The great dish is spaghetti served from half cut Parmesan cheese with prosciutto and basil. Excellent idea for original meal but be sure to it quickly as it gets cold quickly.

Entered by chance I found an informal and unpretentious atmosphere. Not having high expectations it was pleasant to change my mind when I saw how they cook: a well-made Italian cuisine. Icing on the cake a good espresso and an honest bill.

This restaurant has never disappointed!! You are always welcomed by smiling staff and offered a menu filled with delicious fresh and creative options while still getting the continuity of flavors! Each time we visit NYC, Basta Pasta is our first night reservation. There are always so many options to choose from but we always make sure to order their house specialty of fresh pasta placed on a wheel of Parmesan cheese and stirred to make the most delicious Parmesan pasta topped with parma ham.....mmmmmmmm! Their sea Bass is fresh and flaky, the veal: tender and crispy..........mmmmmmI wish I was right back there again! This time we came to the restaurant twice - bringing another couple to the restaurant to join us - and they loved it all too! This restaurant is for simple to fancy......shared or individual.........but it is always delicious!

Busy Italian restaurant with an open kitchen. Modern. Good selection of pasta, fish and meet. The cesare salad is excellent. Try the chicken starter. For main the zuppa di cozze (Mussels) was not great $17 as a starter. Would certainly come again.

We tried a range of pasta options and each of the dishes stood apart in taste. The Japanese chef out here surely knows his Italian food. The service is good.

This place is a Japanese/Italian creation, but the Italian influence is stronger. Not all the dishes are fusion, only a few, and only to the extent that they will put a Japanese and an Italian ingredient together, such as spaghetti with sea urchin. This was my second visit, and I have tried enough dishes to know which ones to order again, and which ones to skip altogether, if I ever come here again, that is; and at this point, I'd have to be convinced... I don't understand the discrepancy between excellent plates like the panko crusted chicken, and not so great ones like the crespelli pasta with ricotta and mushrooms. Their signature dish-spaghetti with prosciutto and parmesan cheese, tossed in a carved-out parmesan cheese wheel lacks flavor-the sauce has no body, and is quite watery. Also, the prosciutto is the wrong texture for this dish, since it's raw and stringy; it doesn't go well at all. Their pastas are not drained properly, so there is an unappetizing amount of water on your plate. The crespelli pasta with mushrooms had water-laden mushrooms, which were rubbery and did not taste good. The pasta itself was also rubbery, and at times glued together. My boyfriend ordered the crab and avocado salad, which had no visible crab and the dressing was hardly discernible. The squid with rice sausage was half good, half not great: the squid was delicious while the sausage was very dry. The main duck breast on the other hand was perfectly cooked, large, plump with a crispy and salty crust. And as I mentioned before, the panko crusted chicken was supreme. From my experience therefore, the pastas are a miss, and the meats are a hit.

The place is well decorated, open kitchen concept. The cooks are mostly Latinos and they prepare the food very well. From appetizer till dessert, there is no hiccups. Their table cleaning style is changing the paper which is placed on top of table cloth. Smart way to save the earth in water aspect as less laundering needed. However they still need to check after every diners gone as I got a stained linen on my side of the table. The food aspect. Sea urchin pasta is good....... Maybe the top so far I had. I had the asparagus with parmesan cheese, good:) As I observe other tables dishes, it seems all clean plates. That is the testimony so far. Definitely worth to revisit this restaurant. Ps: fusion between japanese and Italian ingredients.

Good food. Went early and the restaurant was full. Made reservations and the table was ready as expected. The owner was very friendly and his staff right on. The food was very good. The head chef is from Japan and has added a slight Japanese flare to the Italian dishes. Really enjoyed the dinner. A recommend to everyone.

With a party of four we sampled several dishes. All were excellent to outstanding. I especially enjoyed the Tortino di Granchio appetizer, the Ravioli di Vitello and the Tiramisu. Didn't get to taste the Uni Pasta but it looked most enticing. Simply put, what could be better than combining the earthy richness of Italian cuisine with the delicacy and elegance of Japanese preparation and presentation. We classical musicians usually prefer quieter surroundings for serious dining. This place is definitely more suited to the younger crowd in that it's quite festive, as in noisy, and a little cramped. Everyone on the staff seems eager to help and service is outstanding overall.

This use to be a wonderful restaurant. But with COVID-19, they initially installed outdoor dining. But they got piggish. They cut down a beautiful American Elm tree in front of the restaurant to expand their outdoor dining. Don’t support this restaurant until it returns an American Elm tree in the sidewalk tree well.

We dropped in for lunch with no booking and were made to feel very welcome. The chefs cook in front of you and that is always a good sign and quality of the food was awesome. We will be back

This a very discret restaurant and it has been here for 20 years , this Italien is run by Japanese and it is just sooo good I have been coming here for 15 years and the quality is constant . The kitchen is in the middle of the restaurant wich is a + these days as one is not sure of what they serve you in many places . Here it is always fresh and they will cook it to perfection . It is very well priced , make sure to make a reservation for dinner as they are almost always fully booked. They got a 3 course lunch menu for 24 $ and the portions are generous .

Compare to other four-star restaurants I had been to, Basta Pasta gave me a general impression of belonging to this group while I was walking in surveying the environment and the dishes I could see on the tables. The dining area decoration was trendy, simple and pleasant. I have to say that the bread with blue cheese was a bold move and it tasted bold. The dishes we ordered tonight were decent but not as good as I expected using a four-star restaurant standard. For Antipasti, we ordered Insalata d'Anatra and Tortino di Granchio. The smoked duck slice was perfectly done and delicious. However, there seemed something missing to tight the duck slice, watercress and arugula together. The Crab meat dish was visually well presented. However, I could only taste regular potato salad with a hint of crab meat taste. For the main course, we tried the famous Spaghetti con Prosciutto e Parmigiano, which was served in a half wheel of Parmesan cheese. It was a fancy and fun presentation with the half-wheel cheese moving around on a cart. The cheese was aged and rather strong; it would be an excellent snack with a glass of wine. With the spaghetti, it was way overpowering. We also had the Arrosto di Spigola Cilena. Few days ago, I had a Boiled Cod Fish at a different restaurant. The Chilean See Bass at Basta Pasta was like second rated Boiled Cod Fish to me. It was not impressive at all. The service was fine and I had no complaint. My friend who took me there was a regular there for many years. I might have an unlucky night there and I am willing to give it another try some other time.

When in photo district, this is a great place to enjoy some of the best pastas in NYC. Modern Italian is what left inside of me after trying this beautiful restaurant. Nice for friends and business. Small kids I would leave at home.

This is my sister and brother-in-law's favorite Italian restaurant, and for very good reason: everything is very fresh and flavorful, using seasonal ingredients and preparations that are simple but inventive. While eating out at some italian places can make you feel stuffed and a little greasy, I leave Basta Pasta feeling satisfied and happy with every bite. The portions are just right -- not too much or too little. I had the pasta tossed tableside in a half-wheel of parmesan, and it was very delicious and cheesy without being too heavy. Our server was friendly and respectful -- not snooty at all. The atmosphere is also bright and welcoming -- no dusty dark corners or loud, drunk tourists. All in all, always a pleasure to go here.

Went with wife after friend recommended. Food was great. Professional service. should try the cocktails and the sea food pasta

Had the bow tie pasta with salmon and cream sauce, tortellini bolognese, crespo deluxe and volcano for dessert. All very tasty. Sauce was light and dessert not sweet. Small place with a bit cramped space. Good service staff. Highly recommended.

Lovely dinner - pasta/asian fusion. Pasta was pretty great, and of course, mine was straight from the parm wheel, then topped with glorious proscuitto. Staff was super nice and accommodating. Bit of a bum's rush, but we didn't even realize their whole foyer was crammed with waiting diners, so we didn't mind.

Another gem that we would not have discovered without our friends from Manhattan. A very busy small restaurant with the most interesting menu based around Italian Classics cooked with Japonese flair and precision. A very tasty and satisfying evening, do give Basta Pasta a try but book to avoid waiting.

Spaghetti con Prosciutto e Parmigiano! This dish served in a half wheel of Parmesan cheese is reason to visit Basta Pasta, and the second reason is for their Linguine ai Ricci di Mare. And do ask for Mascarpone Sorbet.

This pasta place serves spaghetti out of a cheese wheel. You have to try it out. It is amazing. We had pasta, salad and octopus. All perfect

Looking for a great place to eat in New York City? This place is an excellent choice for lunch or dinner. The food is well prepared, fairly priced and served with grace and efficiency by an attentive staff. You will not be disappointed.

We ordered two appetizers (squid with curry risotto, and braised octopus), but we only got one. It worked out for the best, because the pasta left us full and we didn't even need the other appetizer. I got spaghetti with tobiko, which looks bland but is wildly flavorful. There's a lot of tobiko, and the result is lightly creamy and subtly fishy. The spaghetti has a nice al dente bite to it as well. My friend for the pasta with uni, which she raved about it, despite not generally being a fan of tomato-based sauces; it was rich without being overwhelming.

After 37 years, Basta Pasta is still going strong. The place is hopping. The pasta of course is the star of the menu, but there are other selections as well such as scallops, burrata, octopus, tuna, etc.. The prosciutto is sliced thin, and it is lean. TheF usilli con Prosciutto is excellent and the Tagliatelle al Ragu equally good. Service was efficient and pleasant.

Our friends took us to this restaurant in Chelsea and the food was amazing. Prices were reasonable and they have an extensive menu of unique dishes. Everything was delicious. Especially liked the linguine with shrimp, scallops, mussels, and squid, as well as the spaghetti with prosciutto in the parmesan wheel. Great desserts too. Will definitely go here again when we are in NY.

One of my favorite magazines, Departures, had done an article on this restaurant, and they usually make great recommendations... not this time! I rarely eat pasta because I like saving it for when I know or hear that it's really good. We tried 3 different pasta dishes, including some of their signature ones, and they were just bland. We also ordered some different salads and some chicken dishes, and everything was either bland or WAY too salty. Wouldn't go back.

Two of my friends and I ventured out in Flatiron and found this place. It’s not too fancy, not to expensive and appears to have a lot of regulars giving it a neighborhood feel. I recommend is the parmesan spaghetti with prosciutto, which I was told is the house speciality. Basically they drop the spaghetti in a cheese wheel and dredge our goodness. What’s not to like about that? Yum yum

Came here for my friends birthday dinner last October. We made a reservation and was seated right away even when the entire party was not here yet. The wait staff were very friendly and helpful. The food and desert was good. We paid a decent price. I am overall happy with this restaurant and would recommend it to others.

We had a great meal at Basta Pasta! The restaurant was packed, which made it very noisy, but that is ok - the food was amazing. It is an Asian Italian fusion, with a great selection of pastas, seafood and other items. Some of the pasta is homemade and it was fantastic!

Prosciutto parmesan pasta made in a huge cheese wheel. Yummmmmm. Umi pasta also really good. Great place, great atmosphere.

I went earlier this week with a friend who is regular both at the Rubin museum nearby and this restaurant. He was all praise for the place. The maths of it sounded perfect. Japanese precision and Italian finesse. The plan was to wash it down with sake. We shared 3 starters, 3 mains and 2 desserts. Sadly it did not live up to the hype. The food and service was similar to a good Italian eatery, but that was about it.

Got a last minute reservation. Got there early, no problem, our table was ready. Small feeling room. Busy but could hear people at the table. Lovely service. Beautiful presentation. Exquisite tastes. The Caesar salad is visually amazing. Farfalle&Salmon divine. Volcano dessert is sublime. No kidding!! Coffee perfect. I am back in NYC next week and have made reservations to introduce friends to this secret spot on 17th. Shh. It's all mine!

First of all, while this is a restaurant manned by a staff that is entirely of Asian descent, it is not a Japanese restaurant, or even an asian restaurant, for that matter. It is Italian. Those diners not familiar with the foods of Italy's southern regions might think that pasta with sea urchin sauce is an Asian/fusion type plate, but believe me - it is as Italian as lasagna. This is a dish that is served all of the time in southern Italy - mainly Puglia, and it is one that I order every time that I see it on a menu. It is wonderful! That said, the plate by that name at Basta Pasta lives up to it's Italian cousins. It is really, really good. As a matter of fact, everything that we had at this ITALIAN restaurant was really, really good. My one complaint is that because of the open kitchen, the room, which was very crowded, can get uncomfortably warm. But, that said, I would dine here again in a heart-beat.

One of my favorites and may be the best pasta restaurant (for me) you can find in NYC. My usual menu is duck salad with Parmigiano "al dente" Spaghetti w/prosciutto. The salad is presented with sliced duck meat placed around rocky arugola salad. The pasta is prepared with a fair amount of parmigiano cheese and in order to give to the dish the special taste it has they literally season the spaghetti inside a half parmigiano reggiano cheese. The liturgy is repeated several times during dinner as this is probably their special dish. Other dishes I like to take when I come to Basta Pasta are Cilen Seabass and Sea Urchin Spaghetti. Unique quality tasty food experience. Service is always at highest level.

While the restaurant may not look like much when you walk in (though it's interesting to see open-air cooking -- Japanese style -- with Italian food -- the food makes up for the atmosphere. I've been over the course of many years and the quality remains the same. If you're in the mood for pasta and a sauce that will have you cleaning your plate for the staff ... you'll never miss here.

This restaurant offers tasty dishes among very familiar atmophere such kind of open kitchen, brihgt and warmful light and wooden table and chair. Especially, seasonal dish of past (echinus) was excellent. The way all dishes was cooked by Asian people might be familiar with me Japanese. Anyway, I would like to be there again sometime.

My daughter made the reservation to dine with me during my business trip to New York. The restaurant was packed - the selection of raw materials must be careful and dedicated as they all turned out to delicious. I enjoyed very much the pasta and the lamp chop - well prepared, kind of the quality you would expect in a decent Italian restaurant in Rome. The dessert is also great - watch out this Basta Pasta, if it were in California, it may become Michelin Recommended. Go and try the food there.

This was truly one of the best meals I have had in quite a while. The presentation and service just made it perfect. Everyone friendly upon arrival so the immediate feel was great. Food was simply spectacular. I am very skeptical of the "pasta in a wheel" dish but was so glad I ordered and ate it. Fantastic! Truly a great experience.

We arrived at 6 pm on a Sunday evening and the place was hopping. We ordered the calamari, duck breast salad, and veggies with anchovy sauce for appetizers. All were wonderful. The duck breast was smoked to perfection and the anchovy sauce was a great alternative for dipping your bread. 3 of the 4 dishes ordered were pasta, that is made in house and was cooked Al dente to perfection. I had the sea-bass and mussels in saffron. The fish was so delicate and light, and the saffron gave it a great flavor. The panna cotta and tiramisu were a great way to finish off a lovely meal. This place rocked it!

We went to Basta Pasta following a recommendation from a friend and we were not disappointed. The place is small and they don't have too much tables then you need to reserve to have a spot. People were friendly and the food was really good from starter to dessert. Special mention to the pasta which are mixed in the carved parmesan, very original and ... delicious ! A place to go if you like pasta and look for Italian food with small taste of Asia

There are so many outstanding places to eat in NYC, but this unassuming restaurant deserves its place among them. We went for lunch, and had a delightful time! We could hear each other without shouting even though the dining room was full, which made the meal even more enjoyable. The food was the star though, everything equally delicious and perfectly cooked. Will absolutely be back.

The best pasta I have ever had! We ordered Spaghetti con Prosciutte Parmigiano and Linguini al Ricci di Mare. 'SO DELICIOUS' both Pasta I would recommend. However, the portion of pasta is small. You might have to order3 dishes to fullfill 2 people's stomach. That's why we ordered Shel n. Squid Pasta. It was a good choice. Nevertheless, it will turns your mouth black! Bread is free and DELICIOUS as well. Waitresses are nice and polite (cute Japanese girls). Overall, 5 stars place to go.

We were a party of three. We all ordered different appetizers, main courses and deserts. We tasted each other's portions. Happily all were good. The asparagus appetizer was excellent as wasthe pear desert. None of the dishes we ordered was anything but good. This was one of the best restaurants I have eaten in. Nice to see the open kitchen area. Service was friendly and efficent. As you can see, I would highly recommend this establishment

Minestrone reinvented in an Asian clean way. Some of the best pasta I have ever had, even in Italy.

Fantastic menu promised so much. Italian classics with a Japanese twist. The starter, carpaccio, was really nice. The main, monkfish look great on the menu, but was unexciting. My daughter had Cotoletta di Vitello alla Milanese, again good but not great. I was very please that they were able to serve a Saketini, the glass of red wine, even though a great vintage, 2012, was underwhelming. It one of the better eating experiences I have had in New York so far. It was innovative, and the menu promissed much. But this is not at a level that I was hoping for. Compared to the current "en vogue" Japanese/French fusion in Paris, (e.g. Abri) this has further to grow.

We were 6 people and most said it was good. I for one don't know what the fuss is about with this place. From when I first entered and looked around it was not a very charming place. Like something you'd see in Chinatown. Very bright and they even had paper on top of the tablecloth. The food is not very Italian although they call it Japanese Italian cuisine. My dish was very disappointing. I had the Linguine alla Pescatore. Not only was it a small portion, the shrimp was cut into pieces, not whole, and it was tasteless. Two others had the salmon and branzini and said it was good. All in all, I wouldn't go back.

I used to go in this restaurant 10 years ago and it was trendy, tasty and refined. I order the same dish and although the pasta were fresh and good they were not warm enough for the cheese to melt properly. The portion of Serrano was very shy. I did not finish my dish. The place is a bit old now as they did not refresh it. I was sad and I will not go back.

Went with family from the UK. They all adored the cuisine from antipasto to the great desserts. The menu is varied and excellent; hard to make choices in this sea of riches. The fish is fresh and excellently prepared

f I had only one night in the Big Apple, I would choose to spend it at Basta Pasta! If you are lucky enough to live in NYC, GO NOW- You won't regret it. Once we were seated, we ordered appetizers for the table, including Cartoccio di Funghi Misti - three kinds of mushrooms baked inside sealed cooking paper w/ thyme, garlic, and olive oil. I have to admit, even for a serious mushroom hater like myself, these mushrooms were tolerable, which is saying a LOT. I imagine for a person with neutral or loving feelings towards mushrooms, they would be amazing. We also got calamari, which was very good. However, the winner of the appetizer round, HANDS DOWN, would have to be the purple yam gnocchi - heavenly! Definitely try it. On to the pastas: I got the house specialty - Spaghetti con Prosciutto e Parmigiano. It is served table-side in a half-wheel of parmesan cheese with a generous layer of prosciutto on top. The waitress told me that if I have a soft spot in my heart for cheese, this would definitely be the dish for me. She was so right. The other dishes I tried were good too, but I gotta say mine was the envy of quite a few people at the table. It is really the best thing I have eaten in a while! Other dishes I tried that I would recommend: Farfalle con Salmone e Crema (bow tie pasta with lightly smoked salmon, asparagus, tomatoes, tarragon grain mustard cream sauce), and Linguine alla Pescatore (linguine with clams, mussels, shrimp, squid, sea scallops) - the latter tasted very light and fresh! Everything at dessert was good too - try the tiramisu or crepe if you can't decide! For those interested in the decor and atmosphere - it was chic, intimate, and the place had good lighting haha. Great for a date! Larger parties would be more difficult to accomodate - I might a reservation for 6 people and when I tried to change it to 7 people, I was told that they could only accommodate tables of up to 6. However, when the 7th person showed up, they were able to squeeze him in.. Don't bank on it though! Bottom line - try this ASAP, and get the gnocchi and spaghetti con prosciutto e parmigiano!

Very wide clean & Testy food If you like the Japaneses cousin style mix with Italian tastes - you'll enjoy this one. A very clean, wide & nice atmosphere restaurant

There was nothing to dislike. The food, service and ambiance were great. I especially recommend the rib eye.

Light, bright, modern .. both decor and food.. Delicious. Italian with an Asian twist.. Try the pasta with melted parmesan and parma ham, ...pasta with dried flying fish roe... Delicious pastas, meats, fish, everything.. I have been half a dozen times, and always look forward to returning..

Refreshing fusion of Thai and Italian. The acoustics are atrocious and the DIN at dinner can be deafening.

We love Italian food and I used to travel to Japan frequently for work. When I read about Basta Pasta on TA, with its fusion of these two cuisines, I instantly thought this would be special - and it was. Walking in there is a small bar on the left and the kitchen on the right. You can see the food you are about to experience is made of the freshest ingredients. I'm not going to say any more as I'm not sure I could give the food the proper respect it deserves. We had a couple of drinks to start, a bottle of wine, an entree, a main and dessert each - $145 but money truly well spent. You must visit Basta Pasta.

The place bills itself as a fusion of Italian and Japanese food and the Japanese influences are quite light but when you find them they are rewarding. Otherwise you have pretty straightforward Italian food that’s good but nothing special. I hope they keep adding dishes with Japanese elements so they can truly distinguish themselves and live up to their claim to fame. Service was good and the room has a low noise level which was good as it was packed.